Late Entry

AFTER A YEAR of racing, I was enjoying active downtime when I got an opportunity to run the Nike Women's Half-Marathon in San Francisco last October. It would mean going from basic fitness to half-marathon shape in just 28 days. I thought no way; I'm a Type-A runner who trains hard for PRs. But after hearing about the awesome race vibe, I decided to go for it. The result? One of the best race experiences of my life. With no expectations, I felt free to revel in the scene and to forget constantly checking my Timex for splits.

While it's not ideal, as long as you've got a reasonable fitness base, you can cram for a race one month from now without hurting yourself. "It's doable," says Greg McMillan, an online running coach in Flagstaff, Arizona (mcmillanrunning.com). "You can get safely into shape for any distance—even a marathon—if you run and rest smart for four weeks." Just forget about setting a PR; doing so could cause disappointment or, worse, injury. "You must have the mentality that you're participating in the race simply for the experience itself," says McMillan.

LAST-MINUTE MARATHONRunning 26.2 a month from now is not impossible—as long as your recent weekly mileage has included several six-milers and at least one eight- to 12-miler. Begin your weeks with the long run, because, obviously, the more long runs you fit in, the better your chances of completing the race. "You won't be able to run the same long-run distance you're used to doing during typical marathon training," says McMillan. Tempo and fartlek workouts will "teach your body to transport oxygen and burn fuel efficiently, which is key to a successful day," says McMillan. A goal-pace run familiarizes you with sustainable race-day speed.

WEEK 1 Long run: 10 to 12 miles. Two or three easy runs. Fartlek workout: Run five minutes at 10-K pace, then jog for two to three minutes; repeat four or five times.WEEK 2 Long run: 13 to 15 miles. Two or three easy runs. Tempo run: Warm up, then run three to four miles at 10-K pace.WEEK 3 Long run: 16 to 18 miles. Two or three easy runs. Goal pace run: Seven miles at your goal marathon pace.RACE WEEK Long run: 12 miles. Two or three easy runs. Fartlek: Run five minutes at half-marathon pace then jog two minutes. Repeat three times. Race!